by Joshua Judd

Beginning Your Yoga Practice: Where to Start

My journey with Yoga began in 2014, with a Bikram Yoga class in Tempe, Arizona. That one class was so eye-opening that I’ve maintained a regular practice since that day. What I would eventually come to recognize as a Sadhana, or personal spiritual practice, started with a focus only on my physical body, and eventually expanded to include observation and understanding of the mind and my spiritual self as well.

Today, my Sadhana also includes another component: self-study. Although my asana practice still most strongly resembles the classic 26×2 series popularized by Bikram Choudhury, I’ve come to appreciate the writings and teachings of many other acclaimed yogis, especially B.K.S. Iyengar. His 1966 work Light on Yoga has had an enormous impact on my perspective of Yoga, and what it means to live a yogic life.

But there’s much more to Light on Yoga than yogic philosophy. In fact, the majority of the book is written in the form of a practical guide to the practice of yoga asana (physical postures) and pranayama (breathing exercises). If you’re considering taking up a yoga practice of your own, I recommend it as one of the most comprehensive, credible, and accessible works to begin with, along with the guidance of a good teacher.

“Like a streak of lightning the yogi sees light that shines beyond the earth and the heavens. He sees the light that shines in his own heart. He becomes a light unto himself and others.” -B.K.S. Iyengar

As you begin taking the steps necessary to establish a regular practice of yoga asana, remember to act with kindness and humility, speak only truth, and free yourself from the petty judgments and short-sighted schemes of those around you.

Over time, the world will cease to feel threatened by your calm, confident, exceptionalism. As you fully embrace the light inside yourself, so too will the world.